ProneVis of the Mef.ciah Vindicated. Hi Jerein. 30. 21. TheirNobler fhall be of themfelver and their Governour'hall proceed from 4. 45, the middeft of them. Targum i Their King (hall be annointed from among)t theïìt ; and their Meffiahfball be revealed unto them. And upon his account it isthat God enters in- toa new Covenantwith his People : D. 22. Texan. i3.v. r3, 15.. For thofe words, 'Floeks'hall paf? again under the hand of him that telkth them, theTargum reads, ternwt3+ i 1.73) NCl/ ïiritr 'Pp, and the People 'hall be yet gathered by the Meffiah; and a Prophetic of him it is no doubt,' as the fifteenth Verlë maltes it evident, where all theJews acknowledge him to be intended by the Branch ofRighteoufnefl which fhall fpring up untoDavid; who alto is promifed in the faxth Verfe, as the Abundance, orCrown ofTruth and Peace ; yet one oflate hath wrefted this placealto to Zerubbabel. Hof. 3. 5. Seek the Lord their God and David their King. Targum , 11}1ronw+i 4. 46. Trn5tt in 11 xn+wt)t¡; and (hall obey the Meab the Son of David their King; The Rabbins aredivided about this place; Come of them acknowledging the Meah tobe intended, others referring theProphefie unto the Temple, or kloufe of the Sancîuary built bythe Son of David. But the words themfelves, with the denotation of the time for theaccomplifhment of this Prophetic in the end of the Verfe, will allowof no application untoany other ; and plainly difcovers his miftake who would wren this Text alto toZerubbabel. Hof 14. 8. Targum, They 'ballfit under the fhaddow of Meah: See Cant. 2. 3. Micah ç. v. 8. And thou Tower of the flock, &c. TOM 1 i7brit -1 tit hui0 itntdl $5. 47, z?rt i7 +1111 i ip I+r, ; And thou Meffiah of Ifrael , who art hidbecaufe ofthefins ofthe Congregationof Zion, to thee the Kingdom'hag come. Thisglofs I confers draws upon the Lees ofTalmudical Rabbinifm ; for they fancy that their MeffiabWas long time born, even at the appointed time, butis kept hid, they know not where,. becaufeof the tinsof Ifrael. Micah 5, V. 2. But thouBethlehemEphrata, though thou be little among the'thoufandr ß, 4g, of Judah ,.yet out of thee 'hall he come forth unto me the Ruler over Ifrael, whole goings forth have been from ofold, from everlafting. Targ. rto`nto 1+1p +lath brotpl 719+107 -po 5rriw1 `tp ; out of theeJball the Meffiah come forth before me to exercife Rule over Ifrael. This Prophetic' was famous among the Jews. of old, as defigning theplace where the Mffiahwas to be born, which alone is done here ; and its figual accomplifhment is recorded, Matth. z. r, 5, 6. Luke z. 6, 7. And unto this day they generally acknow- ledge that it is the Meßiah alone who is. intended. And yet this content of all the Jews, Ancient and Modern, with the application of it unto the true Meßiati in the Gofpel, manifelting the Catholide content of both Churches Judaical and Chriftian about the feule of this place, hindernot one from interpreting this place of Zerub- babel, whole goingsforth as he fuppofeth, are Paid tobe of old , from everlafting, be- esule he came of the ancient Kingly Houle of David, whereas not one word of the Prophetie ever had any tolerable appearance ofaccotnplifhment in him. For neither was he born at Bethlehem, nor was he the Ruler over the Ifrael ofGod; much letshad he the leaft fhare.or intcrefl in thofe eternal Goings forth which are expreffed in the dole of theVerfe. The words are an exprefs defcriptionof the Perlon ofthe Meffiah, who though he was to be born in the fulnefs of time at Bethlehem , yet the exiltence of his DivineNature was from of old, from Evcrlafting. And the Jew's know not how to evade this Teftimony. Rafhi adds in the interpretation of the words, only thatof Pfalm 72. V. ry. 10w 11]+ W , ']97, which we have rendered, his name fhall be continued as long as the Sun; not reaching the fenfe of the place. wan 1]00 is ren- dered by the Targum nestles inn ; and before the Sun was, an expreffion of Eternity. As Prov. §. v. 23. Kimébi and Aben Ezra would have the words refpea . that long feafon that was to be between David and the Meffiah. Bethlehem, faithKimchi that is David who was born there, and rwön i r11- 71't 1+3 Ti pi w+, there is a long time between Davidand the Mefsiah ; But this Gloff is forced, and hath nothing in the words to give countenance unto it. It is theMeßiah that is laid to be born at Bethlehem, andnot David, as (hall afterwards be evinced ; And t+ntirio, denotes force Alls, or adlings of him that is fpoken of, and not his, Relationunto another not fpoken ofat all. Neitherdo thole words o41'v v0170 1 =1p0 denote a long time , but di- redly that which is before all times ; See Prov. 8.22. He yet proceeds to anfwer them who fay the Meffiab is God from this place, becaufe of this defcription of him: And lie t rejects the Lord aria from beinghere intended, asfuppofing an Objefion to be made with referenceuntohinn,though he exprefs it not ; for faith he r131wn i=4-1±`79wr this
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